Suggestions, questions and uncomfortable truths mark first
meeting

More than 120 jammed
the Pony Espresso on June 5 to make their concerns known to Mayor Jordan Sturdy
and councillors Mark Blundell, Jennie Helmer, David MacKenzie and Kristin
McLeod.

Mayor Sturdy, who
fielded the majority of questions in the 100-minute session, opened the evening
with a discussion of the VOP’s four pillar Strategic Plan, that emphasizes
social, economic and environmental sustainability.

VOP administrator Lori
Pilon was pleased with the evening’s outcome.

“We’ve already
received constructive comments for the strategic plan,” she said, noting that
all input from the meeting and subsequent evaluation/comment forms would be
taken under consideration.

“As per the strategic
plan, we want to meet more frequently with the constituents. I think we’ll have
these kind of meetings at least twice a year, as well as other opportunities to
get together to develop real relationships,” said Pilon.

Suggestions from the
floor at Tuesday’s meeting ranged from including “Home of the World Champion
Layaom Eagles” on the “Welcome to Pemberton sign” to increasing accessibility
to One Mile Lake by adding a sidewalk and enhancing transit frequency between
Whistler and Mt. Currie.

Some suggestions were
dismissed as being too costly. When asked why Pemberton did not have “911”
service, Mayor Sturdy pointed out that start up costs were $350,000 and that
most cell phones had the capacity to use the emergency number. Likewise,
alternative arrangements for garbage and recycling management could be made,
but they would be made at a cost.

Asked about the status
of the new community centre, the mayor confirmed that the opening would be
delayed until February 2008.

“We’re basically on
budget. There are some changes of scope that have raised the costs. We didn’t
consider the Youth Centre, there’s a water line and a traffic study,” said the
mayor.

He added that the
original building had been planned for 19,000 square feet and it is now 22,000
square feet.
The projected budget
overrun is currently at $500,000.

“We’d like to see a
water park and a skate park completed as part of the budget, but if we don’t
have the money that will have to wait until sometime later,” said the mayor.